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A Place of Grace
If someone is really intent on doing something to hurt themselves or others, there is really very little, in the long run, that you can do to stop them. That is one of the reasons why combating terrorism can be so challenging. There is no amount of power or force that can protect us as long as there is genuine human freedom. And yet, in the midst of human freedom we can find places of safety where we do not have to live in fear. These are places of grace.
Unfortunately, because human communities, even at their best, are flawed because of the impact of sin in our world, and so we do not do this perfectly. Yet, there are places that are committed to living grace, and extending grace, even when we and they fail to do it as well as we need to. Those places are called church. That is the community that Jesus established, and that Paul describes in the passage to the right.
Ephesians 2:1-10
(NIV)
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time,gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God
raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of
his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Unfortunately, too many church communities too much of the time, do not reflect this dynamic. But despite those communities that claim to be church and yet fail so badly at this, there are places where we can find this life being cherished and lived. These communities of grace are what Paul describes as the church, a
nd are communities that we are invited to be a part of and contribute to.
Today, we celebrate being this kind of community through the celebration of the Lord's Supper, and Pastor Jon reminds us of this through reflecting on the passage from Ephesians that you see to the right. If you would like to listen to the sermon once again, or perhaps for the first time, you can access our sermon library by clicking here.
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